Rear-firing mechanism for high-capacity drop bombs



E. J. W. RAGSDALE REAR FIRING IECHANISI FOR HIGH CAPACITY DROP 801138 I Filed Feb. 4, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

Oct. 6, 1925.

. 1,556,027 -E. J. W. RAGSDALE RBMLFIRING MECHANISM FOR HIGH CAPACITY DROP Bombs Fil ed Feb, 4, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0/1/ ,7 1 M} 1 I V Hum ,fllll rllllllllflllllll lz ExPmswE CHHRGE amntoz Mechanism for Oet. 6,1925.

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To allwhom it may concern: I 4 Be it known that I Eur. J BAGSDALI, lieutenant colonel, brdnance- Department, United States Army a citizen ofthe Umted States, stationed at washingtom'D. C, have invented an Im rovement in Bear-Firing atructing such missiles and, more particmay, with the rear firing mechanism of the same. The firing mechanism is of the which is maintained in normal safe position, remote from the explosive charge until the bomb is launched,'and means are provided to restrain the firin the firi mechanism until the launching of the bon i and then releasin them.

Another object of the. invention is to improve the construction of the bomb itself so as to simplify its manufacture and assembly; yet providing a bomb that is safe' during transportation. To this end thebomb comprises two main parts,'a front cas' member and a rear casing member. The ster chamber and the detonator iding tube are preferably carried by a sk member which is attached to and closes the rear end of .the forward casing, while the firi pin; and detonator are normally suspen ifiad in the rear casing by a spring ejected pin. The stabilizing fins are rigidly secured to the rear casing and detachablyconnected to the forward casing, when" the bomb is assembled.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation, partly .in central longitudinal section of a bomb constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view in longitudinal -Capacity Drop Bombs, h -of which the following is a specification.l

y any other person in pe loop shaped nose 2 by which the g pin and detonator of acr or men a, me; a: mi. 1.. as.)

section of the fuze, showing the parts in normal position; p

Fig. 3 is a similar view showingthe parts in armed position Fig. 4is an enlarged fragmentary view in .elevation of the fuze, parts broken away to s ow the firing pin i Fi 6 is a cross section taken on the line VI- I of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail view in elevation of the primer casing;

Fig. 8'is a plan view of the same; and Fig. 9 is an enlarged view in longitudinal section of the detonator.

Referrin to the drawin reference:

by numerals'of in firing itionis a cross section ta s on the linee bomb consists of a forward I casing, preferably formed of sheet metal,

and comprising, for convenience of manufacture, two sections. The. forward section 1 is formed with a forwardly omb may be suspended from a suitable carrying element on an aero lane. The rear section 3 is connected to t c section 1-b' welding or otherwise and the two sections fbrm a chamber for-the reception of the explosive 4.

p j g The rear end of the casing is open and is. i

engaged-by a ring 5 which is formed with a per- 1p eral flange, which flange is connected y spot-weldi as at 6, or in other suitable manner to thee sing. The ring 5 is interiorly threaded to recelve a centrall apertured member or collar 7 into which is t peri heral flan 8 of the fuze-stock 9.

e -forwa end of the fuze-stock"9 is threaded to receive a seat or apertured plug 10 which sup orts a funnel shapedmember 11. The mem in the booster cas' into the forward en abuts against the seat 10.

' A guide tube 14 is secured to the rear end of the fuze-stock, and in this tube is 13, whic is threaded mounted, for rectilinear slidin movement, a

r 11 projects forwardly into' the explosive or booster char e 12, carried of the fuze-stock and readed the tor charge. The pnmer'casin'g' 16 is centrally a rtured to receive a percussion cap 17 whic is positioned to ignite the detonator charge 18 carried in the casin 19. The

detonator casing 19 is bound to t e primer casing by means of a conical collar 20 which engages a similar seat in the'primer casing and which is clamped to the casing, through means of a crimp nut 21, which is threaded to a reduced forwardly projecting portion 22 of the primer casing. v

A firing pin 23 is mountedfor sliding movement in the sleeve 15 and is held at the rear end of the sleeveby a coiled spring 24, which is confined between the primer casing 16 and an agnular shoullder formed on the firing pin. groove or ass 23 extends longitudinally of the firir ig pin to permit esca of air, so that the forward motion of t e firing pin will not be interfered with.

The firing pin terminates at its rear'end in a reduced portion 25,. which rojects throu h an opening provided in t e rear end 0 the sleeve 15, the rear end being partialllg headed by upsetting the sleeve inw ly An aperture 26 is formed trans-- versely of the portion to provide means for the suspension of the detonator in itsrearward position, as will be ex lained.

A rear casing 27 open at its orward end, enga-.: the ring 5 to which it may be sen --a by means of machine screws 28.' Stabilizing fins or vanes are inte l with or rigidly secured to the rear cas 27. and project forwardly thereof. The orwardly projecting portions of the. fins 29 are detachabl connected, when the bomb is assembl to the forward casing m any suitable manner, as by means of slotted lugs and pins 30.

To furnish means for suspending the detonator in its rear'most position, the walls of the rearcasing27 are provided with alignwhich apertures are also in ing apertures 27 t with the aperture 26 of the firing in, when thefi pm is in its rearmost poition. a rtures is passed a pin 31, which is form w th a head 32. Immediately below the head 32 the pin is enlarged to port a coiled compression spring 34 whic is confined in compremed condition between the head 32 and an exterior washer 33, which encircles the pm. a

The pin is normall retained in this position by means. of the exible element or wire 35, one aid of which is inserted through an aperture formed transversel of the projecting int of the pin, an the other end of which is looped, as at 36, tov engage with the release (not shown) of'an aero and draw the-wire from the a ture in the pin when the bomb is dropped or released the aeroplane. The withdrawal of the wire the pin to be expelledbytheforceofthespringiigaain- I I'll Having descn dicated by the arrow, in Fig.1, and free the detonator to move by the action of gravity to armed position, as indicated in 3: 1 The wire 35 is herein shown as passed through an apertured guide lug 36 prozontal po sition beneath the lane.

In practice, the forwar section I of the shell is loaded with the explosive 4 through the aperture in the rin 5. The member 7 and the fuze are then t readed into place,

' and the rearcasing brought to position and fastened by means of the screws 28. The pin 31 is then inserted through the aperture and locked in position by means of the wire 35.

, The bomb is suspended, either horizontally or vertically,'beneath the aeroplane in any usual and well known manner, and loop 36 is attached to the release mechanism so that the wire will be properly held when the bomb is launched. 7

'Upon launching of the bomb the detonator isfreed, as heretoforedescribedfand assumes the position shown in Fig. 3 of'the drawin The detonator will seat at the forwar end of the fuze without shock due to the air tra pedin the tube. The firifig pin, during 0 flight of the bomb, is held from contact with the percussion-cap 17. b means of the spring 24, but, when the bom strikes, the kinetic energy stored in the pin overcomes the resistance of the spring I 24, causing the (fin to impinge upon the percumion cap an detonate the detonator and booster cha It will be understood that my invention is not limited strictly to the details described, but tha a considerable range of is inclu ed within my invention as indicated by the accompan claims.

my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Paten is:

e combination in a bomb, of a casing having a chamber for an explosive, a fuse for detpnating the explosiveincluding a stock, a secu I to the stock, a funnel shaped mem r extending into the casing, a guide tube carried by the stock, a detonator slidable in the tube and normally held at one end thereof and remote from the booster casing, said detonator formed to enter the funnel shaped member combination a bomb, of a.

rges to fine the explosive charge 4.

uivalents I 33181! f: is armed a-firing udmg m norm 0 ding thedetontltor c fl'otlllll iebooster casing an means r o ding e m from the detonator until impact 0 i'he bomb.

2. The

.- stock, a booster carried by: e stock, a seat' between 'the stock and oster, a funnel 6 she d member carried by the seat and exten ing into the booster, a detonator for the fuze and movable with respect thereto to enter the funnel shaped member, means for normally holdin the detonator out of the 10 said member a means for firing the detonator upon impact of-the bomb.

3. The combination in a bomb, of a body having a chamber for an-explosive, a fuze attached to the body including a booster; and

16 a detonator structure comprising a cylinder movable. longitudinally ofthe fuse and normally held at one end thereof, a primer casing attached to the cylinder and provided J with ducts, a primer in the primer casing, a 2 detonator casing bound to the primer casing and incommunication with the ducts and means movable upon'impact of the bomb to fire the primer.

4. In a bomb, the combination with a forward casing having an explosive chamber open at the rear end of a ring for closing the rear end havin a peripheral flange adapted to encircle e rear end of the easing-and to be bound thereto, a rear casing secured to the ring, and a fuze carriedby thering.

5. In a bomb, the combination with a forward casing havi an explosive chamber open at the rear en of a ring engaging the rear end of the casing and formed with a peripheral flange encircling the rear end of the casing and ound thereto, a fuze secured in the ring, a rear casing attached to the ring, and stabilizing vanes secured to the rear casing and attached to the forward casing 6. bomb, embodying a body for containing explosive, a fuse stock; secured. to the rear end of said body, a booster casing secured to the stock, a hollow member extendin into the booster casing, a guide tube secure to the stoclr, and a detonator slidable in the guide tube, including a primer casing, a sleeve secured to the said casing, 50 a detonator casing secured to 'the primer casinlge and adapted to enter the hollow mem r when thefuse is primed, a striker bod slidable in the sleeve and means for normally holding the detonator remote from the booster casing.

7.-A fuse for pro ectiles embodying, a

fuse body a hollow member slidable in said body, firing elements carried by said hollow member, the forwardly situated one of said elements secured to the member and the rearwardly situated one free toslide in the member whereby, upon impact, the hollow member may move with respect to the fuse bod and the rearwardly situated one of sai elements will, due to its inertia, impinge upon the forwardly situated member "to initiate detonation 8. A fuse for projectiles embodying, a fuse body, a hollow member slidable in said body, means for normally retaining said member at one end of the body, firing elements carried by the hollow member, the forwardly situated one of said elements secured to the member and the rearwardly situated one free to slide in the member whereby, upon impact, the hollow member may move with respect to the fuse bod and the rearwardly situated one of sai elements will, due to its inertia, impinge u on:

the forwardly situated element to initiate detonation.

9. A fuse for projectiles embodying, a

fuse bod a hollow member slidable in said body, firing elements carried by said hollow member, the forwardly situated one of said elements secured to the member and the rearwardly situated one free to slide in the member whereby, upon impact,-the hollow member may move with respect to the fuse and the rearwardly situated one of sai elements will, due toits inertia, im-

pinge upon the forwardly situated member.

to initiate detonation, and means for maintaining the elements in spaced relation-during fii lit.

10: v fuse embodyin a member adapted to slide within'a fuse ody and firing elements carried by the member and normally movable therewith, one of said elements free to move with respect to the member under the forceof inertia to engage the other elementrand fire the fuse.

, EARL J. w. RAGSDALE. 

